Train 3 (4) and the missing coach car

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Amtrak706

Service Attendant
Joined
Sep 14, 2017
Messages
140
I was on 3 (4) from Chicago to LA. I had a roomette, but after I got settled in I walked through the train to get the car numbers. When I did this, there were four coaches. The next day, at the La Junta fresh air stop, I went outside and noticed that we only had three coaches. I did not leave the train for the Kansas City fresh air stop so I dont know where, when, or why we lost that coach. Does the SWC have a short turn coach now?
 
It would be great if there was a way to find out. I am curious as to what happened. Anyone have access to CNOC or other sources of consist info? Lol
 
I was on 3 (4) from Chicago to LA. I had a roomette, but after I got settled in I walked through the train to get the car numbers. When I did this, there were four coaches. The next day, at the La Junta fresh air stop, I went outside and noticed that we only had three coaches. I did not leave the train for the Kansas City fresh air stop so I dont know where, when, or why we lost that coach. Does the SWC have a short turn coach now?
Don't they sometimes run a coach between Chicago and Kansas City? Is that possible?
 
The CHI - Kansas City extra coach is usually on rear so all #3 has to do is disconnect HEP and then pull remaining consist a few feet ahead or maybe just leave KC pulling the pin leaving the car ? However that does not account for restoring back up hose to the train ?/ So for your observations was the missing coach originally the last coach ? If so that is probably your answer.
 
This summer season, the Southwest Chief is running a fourth coach Chicago to Kansas City and then Kansas City to Chicago. The fourth coach is terminated in Kansas City when it arrives around 10:30 PM and disconnected. The next morning this car is attached as the fourth coach on the Chief returning back Kansas City to Chicago. I have just been following the Chief for the past year so I don't know if this is new this Summer or if they have done this in previous years. I do know that there was not a fourth coach when I rode Chicago to Albuquerque last October in sleeper for the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. In fact during parts of the year there is only two coaches Chicago to Los Angeles.
 
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Amtrak is try to get enough equipment together for a sixth set for The Empire Builder.

The set out coach that is dropped at Kansas City save three coaches.

No this is not a normal summer event.
 
So it sure sounds like a drop off coach at Kansas City would be it. The OP said that he had stayed on the train at Kansas City, which means that he wouldn't have seen them take the car off there. If that's the standard procedure lately, it would definitely make sense here.
 
Perfect, thanks for the answer guys. That is what I suspected but when I Googled it I didnt find anything so I asked on here. This site is a great resource for the more Amtrak-inclined of us foamers.

That also makes sense as I was in my darkened roomette with a broken AC (another whole story) so I wouldnt really have had any indication that HEP was off.
 
Equipment is at a premium. They are trying something to free up equipment. You may see this train (and others) lose a car or two and short turn cars If the facilities can handle the moves,

Some of them can't.
To expand on this Tennessee Traveler, the fourth coach drop at KCY is likely to vanish quite soon.
 
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Are Superliner Coaches in Short Supply like other Amtrak equipment?

Are there any repairable wrecks @ Beech Grove?

Seems like those out on Lease to California and Washington St.could be better used on Amtrak Trains.
 
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There are overhauls planned, they want to refresh the superliners, there are sidelined cars, there are tons of late trains and one of the biggest eaters of equipment is the PTC mandate. There are test trains all over the system and they want realistic consists.
 
This is all I can think of now.

JT2Obbu.jpg
 
Are Superliner Coaches in Short Supply like other Amtrak equipment?

Are there any repairable wrecks @ Beech Grove?

Seems like those out on Lease to California and Washington St.could be better used on Amtrak Trains.
We haven't had Superliner equipment in the Cascades since we got the Jefferson back in like...May.. And it was only three lone cars we had, which wouldn't be nearly enough because that schedule is consistently sold out going northbound, and fairly heavy coming back south.
But yes, we all know there is an equipment shortage, especially during the summer when ridership surges
 
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..the fourth coach drop at KCY is likely to vanish quite soon.
With the absence of Scout traffic this year, there likely is insufficient demand to justify the Coach West of KC.
Now none of this made any difference to the Troop in this "Burb" - and, for that matter, in my contiguous "crib", as they both have traveled Sleeper.
 
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But yes, we all know there is an equipment shortage, especially during the summer when ridership surges
I tend to think the shortage of equipment on LD trains this summer is self-inflicted by Anderson. I'm on the Cardinal as I write this and there's no 2nd sleeper, the 4th coach is gone, too. Oh..and they've changed out the Cardinal-only dinette with a work station for the dining section to what is perhaps the former Lakeshore Ltd full Amfleet dinette.

Throw in the Lakeshore is down 2 coaches and 1 sleeper from it's normal summer consist, and I recall reading that the Capitol Ltd is also short a car or two this summer.

And the desired result of all the fewer cars? I'd have to say it's higher fares for everyone on mostly sold out trains. Reduced 'loss' if you're in the accounting department at Amtrak.

Oh...and all the extra money in this years' budget??? One new TLM machine for the 'profitable' NEC. Funny, after riding a good portion of the NEC yesterday, I did not see the other TLMs active at all...not even a surfacing crew as we bounced along like the bad old days of Penn Central!

Anyone see anything using part of the extra budget money for wreck repairs? Oh...never mind... That was spent on the Amfleet I refresh (I like it), and now the Acela refresh...All for NEC equipment only. LD rehab etc? That's probably going to be needed to convert the brand new V II diners to lounge car service only and do away with the existing Amfleet lounges.

Perhaps I'm just too pesimestic. Sorry, but that's the way I see it.
 
Oh..and they've changed out the Cardinal-only dinette with a work station for the dining section to what is perhaps the former Lakeshore Ltd full Amfleet dinette.
I'm not sure what you're referring to. The Cardinal and LSL (up until "fresh choices" with the latter) both have Amfleet II Lounges serving as diner-lites. They are the exact same configuration. And if you're referring to the cafe/business car, that's the same as on the LSL as well.
 
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It may be that a second Cardinal sleeper instead has gone to a 4th Meteor sleeper ? That would require 2 additional spare sleepers ?
I just think that the Cardinal has been truncated to WAS and there's less demand. There have been four sleepers on the Meteor for many many months, and I don't think a grand total of two Viewliners snatched from the Card make that possible.
 
I tend to think the shortage of equipment on LD trains this summer is self-inflicted by Anderson. I'm on the Cardinal as I write this and there's no 2nd sleeper, the 4th coach is gone, too. Oh..and they've changed out the Cardinal-only dinette with a work station for the dining section to what is perhaps the former Lakeshore Ltd full Amfleet dinette.

Throw in the Lakeshore is down 2 coaches and 1 sleeper from it's normal summer consist, and I recall reading that the Capitol Ltd is also short a car or two this summer.

To be honest, the lack of direct service has reduced demand since it impacted some of the strongest markets.

And the desired result of all the fewer cars? I'd have to say it's higher fares for everyone on mostly sold out trains. Reduced 'loss' if you're in the accounting department at Amtrak.

Oh...and all the extra money in this years' budget??? One new TLM machine for the 'profitable' NEC. Funny, after riding a good portion of the NEC yesterday, I did not see the other TLMs active at all...not even a surfacing crew as we bounced along like the bad old days of Penn Central!

Anyone see anything using part of the extra budget money for wreck repairs? Oh...never mind... That was spent on the Amfleet I refresh (I like it), and now the Acela refresh...All for NEC equipment only. LD rehab etc? That's probably going to be needed to convert the brand new V II diners to lounge car service only and do away with the existing Amfleet lounges.

Perhaps I'm just too pesimestic. Sorry, but that's the way I see it.
Well, if you're truly a pessimist, you can see the reduced consists as a way to say "ridership has steadily declined.." Which is what you can expect once you start lopping cars off the consists.

If it makes you feel better, they are working on plans for the AMII and Superliner refresh. AMII is supposed to go first.
 
I tend to think the shortage of equipment on LD trains this summer is self-inflicted by Anderson. I'm on the Cardinal as I write this and there's no 2nd sleeper, the 4th coach is gone, too. Oh..and they've changed out the Cardinal-only dinette with a work station for the dining section to what is perhaps the former Lakeshore Ltd full Amfleet dinette.

Throw in the Lakeshore is down 2 coaches and 1 sleeper from it's normal summer consist, and I recall reading that the Capitol Ltd is also short a car or two this summer.

To be honest, the lack of direct service has reduced demand since it impacted some of the strongest markets.

And the desired result of all the fewer cars? I'd have to say it's higher fares for everyone on mostly sold out trains. Reduced 'loss' if you're in the accounting department at Amtrak.

Oh...and all the extra money in this years' budget??? One new TLM machine for the 'profitable' NEC. Funny, after riding a good portion of the NEC yesterday, I did not see the other TLMs active at all...not even a surfacing crew as we bounced along like the bad old days of Penn Central!

Anyone see anything using part of the extra budget money for wreck repairs? Oh...never mind... That was spent on the Amfleet I refresh (I like it), and now the Acela refresh...All for NEC equipment only. LD rehab etc? That's probably going to be needed to convert the brand new V II diners to lounge car service only and do away with the existing Amfleet lounges.

Perhaps I'm just too pesimestic. Sorry, but that's the way I see it.
Well, if you're truly a pessimist, you can see the reduced consists as a way to say "ridership has steadily declined.." Which is what you can expect once you start lopping cars off the consists.

If it makes you feel better, they are working on plans for the AMII and Superliner refresh. AMII is supposed to go first.
The Refresh may be when the AMIIs and Superliners receive the Phase 3 paint again like the new VIIs. Some press release about LD equipment going back to Phase 3 liveyr or has that plan been changed too?
 
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